The stories behind their books

“I wanted to share with more people my everyday thoughts and feelings that I couldn’t fit into song lyrics.”

““I read it when I was young, too, but it seems to mean something different each time I read it. As I get older, and at each stage of my life, my interpretation changes. There are lots of plays on words in the book, and it’s a world of make-believe, isn’t it? They stimulate my imagination, and it’s fun to picture a Wonderland in my mind. And above all, I think the book’s strength is that it doesn’t force a lesson on you.””

“It feels like only yesterday that I started yoga, and I’m truly happy to have earned my instructor certification and even published a book like this.”

“A little arboretum breathing in the palm of my hand”

“A book you must read.”

“I learned a lot while publishing I Love You Every Day two years ago.”

“I also read poet Kim Seung-il’s *Prometheus*. Poet Kim Seung-il’s poems were very difficult, but I was shocked in many ways.”

“But these days, I’ve been reading a book called An Unexpected Season.”

“I hope many musicians studying composition don’t read this book. Let me be the only one!”

“I’m studying Japanese on my own using Japanese books. I work hard at it whenever I have free time between schedules.”

“I did my reading with those.”

“There was a time when writing by people whose thoughts were completely different from mine felt refreshing. But as time goes by, writing by people who think much like me—and writing that awakens in me the small feelings and reflections of everyday life that I might otherwise pass by when I'm busy—resonates with me more and more. In that sense, Kang Se-hyung's *I'm Still a Long Way from Becoming an Adult* is not just her story. It is the diary of “us,” which we failed to write down because we kept putting it off and giving in to laziness, making one excuse after another.”

“Before my debut, I read Han Kang’s novel The White Book and was deeply moved. In particular, the line “Even if I am sullied, I will pass on only the white things” resonated deeply with me, and I chose the stage name “Heen (HYNN)” because of it.”

““I think writing is a journey of refining, one by one, the countless thoughts in your mind. I hope this book motivates you on your own journey, too.””

“From the very first page, I felt excited. As someone who loves foreign languages, I found so much that resonated deeply with me that I kept nodding as I read. This book is a guide that helps you learn foreign languages easily and enjoyably. It also gives great encouragement to those who want to study a foreign language but lack the confidence, and to those who want to rekindle their passion. The book lays out the entirety of author Son Mina’s “language treasure map.” It felt not like I was “peeking” at a secret map, but like everything was being shown to me without concealment. If someone came to me for advice about foreign languages, I would give them this book. It contains not only study methods and information, but also precious insights from someone with more life experience. You cannot know the boundless world of languages unless you experience it. Now it is your turn to take the treasure map and venture into a wider world!”

““One Piece””

“The book I read recently is Kim Young-ha’s <Two People>. I love Kim Young-ha’s short stories, which let me experience rich emotions even amid the hectic pace of everyday life.”

“The Devotion of Suspect X.”

“When I go to a bookstore, I sit down, pile up a whole lot of books, and read. I like that people at bookstores don’t pay attention to others. I bought a whole pile just the other day, too: The Children of Gwaengiburi Village, The Little Prince, Confession, March Is a Red Ravine, Norwegian Wood, and a collection of poems by poet Lee Byeong-ryul. I usually get a lot of book recommendations.”

“A few days ago, I took that book out and read it again. It’s still on my desk.”

““I also read the slice-of-life novel The Uncanny Convenience Store,””

“The book has so many meanings and I have a lot to learn from the Prince. [Despite his age], he’s emotionally more mature than adults. His values are incredible,”

“She doesn’t express her feelings well, but in every action, sincerity is included. I think she and I deal with things similarly. I try to express my real thoughts and emotions truly to others, but it’s not easy.”

“I believe that sincerity does reach others eventually,”

“the bond depends on how much each [person] cares about developing that particular relationship.”

“This is a classic rumination on how to live your best life, as if each day could be your last. It feels important now more than ever to remember that happiness doesn’t come from your circumstances, but your spirit. It’s a reminder to shut out the noise and be in the moment, whenever you can.”

“The fact that I got through today without any trouble helps me get through the next day. The small joys of everyday life become the links that connect life.”

“Recently, among the books I’ve read, there’s one called *Schopenhauer at Forty*… People read it at forty, but I wanted to read it at twenty, thinking it might be good to know about it at twenty… So Schopenhauer is quite, kind of… pessimistic…”

“When I first heard about this book, I couldn't help laughing. ‘A whole book about Bibi Curry?’ But after reading it to the end, I completely changed my mind. I could feel how the owner, who likes me, had thoughtfully put each and every word on the page with sincerity and honesty. It's wonderful and impressive, and I feel both pleased and proud. Someday, I'll definitely take Bibi to have Bibi Curry. Bibi can't eat curry, but they'll give Bibi an apple, right? Lucky you, Bibi. They say they like you more than me. Let's go soon. Let's just drop by. Even if I can't go inside, I'll have the car waiting out front.”

“Uh, lately there’s an author I’ve been really into. I’ve been reading a lot of Hwang Jungeun’s books. The recently released Didi’s Umbrella is really good too, but I’m still reading it…”

“Books are difficult. I didn’t understand it, so I closed it around halfway through.”

“I’m not very interested in novels, but this book made me so curious about what would happen next that I kept reading.”

“Shall I recommend Pride and Prejudice?”

“Perhaps it means that you shouldn’t worry so much about other people’s opinions and should live at ease. I think they want me to know that even if I live according to my own opinions, the world won’t change all that much.”

“I want to return to my childhood and reread Jules Verne’s classic science-fiction novels, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days, which I read long ago. These days, my inner child helps me relax.”

“Then, when the members made their remarks, I was really moved. “Ah… this is crazy, like a movie. Right, this is what I had been missing.””

“At first, it was hard because I kept trying to write only grand, impressive words. I completed it by making a great effort to take the force out of my writing.”

“I was happy because, while reading that book on the rooftop, I realized for the first time that I was enjoying this moment.”

““I recommend ‘Laugh Like Haha’s Mom.’””

“Sometimes, as I walk down the street or travel by subway, I find myself wondering about the many people who pass by.”

“Actually, there were many more kinds of baby food I fed Seo-a. I recorded them in a notebook or on my phone each time. They said the book shouldn’t be too thick, so I included about 20 recipes and snacks for each stage, making a total of 131 recipes.”

“I’ve been very interested in composing lately, and the book contains a lot of things that people like me, who want to compose popular music, would want to know for themselves. People tend to think composing is difficult, but it explains very clearly and simply what composing is and how to do it. One of our songs is included in the book, too, so I thought, “That’s how this song was made,” and it brought back a lot of memories of recording and singing it at the time. It also helped me with composing.”

“I’m going to read my first book (manga) today!”

“These days, I'm reading Jonas Jonasson's novel *Killer Anders and His Friends*.”

“I think it would be good to read it with a light, relaxed mind.”

“I found some time to relax on this trip.”

“I read it on the flight to Europe and at the hotel. Even though I was in a good situation, reading that book weighed on my heart.”

“Your writing is so vivid and skillful that I was impressed as I read it.”

““I enjoyed reading the novel Coffee Prince, 1st Shop.””

““I also read a book called ‘Moss Forest.’””

“You have to put down deep roots so that you can stand more firmly as you grow.”

“the wings of kirin”

“#Coloring”

““I’m proud of my mentor.””

“Amid a busy schedule, I picked up a book that deeply moved me. The book I really want to recommend to others is The Five-Percent Miracle by my senior Lee Dong-woo, the comedian formerly of Tintin Five.”

“The book we'll read together this time is The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman, the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series we read last time! You're curious about how the story continues, right?! Me too! I want to read it together… It was so much fun reading the first book together!”

“I was surprised by the content, which seemed to look into the joys and sorrows I experienced while promoting as a member of H.O.T.”

“I think I found a lot of comfort.”

“Writer Yoo Hee-seon, your warm heart comes through. I’m cheering you on. #I’llReadItWell #Don’tCarelesslyTalkAboutMe book”

“As I got further into the latter half, I found myself thinking how astonishing it was. This is the first book that has made me feel that way. I was amazed by how it planted clues and then brought them back later.”

“Dad, you watched over my incredibly demanding training and supported me all along—what a thoughtful dad! I’ll keep the “empty jar theory” you told me so often engraved in my heart, and keep trying to fill it with clear water and fragrant oil. You can do it too, Dad!”

“I couldn't finish reading The Three-Body Problem because it had more pages than I expected.”

““When I ask you an awkward question, you know? (Announcer Kim Ju-woo) smiles and politely turns me down.””

“So I lowered the level a bit and set myself the goal of reading all of Minumsa’s World Literature Collection before I die.”

“That book, Na Tae-joo’s *Wildflower Life Lessons by Na Tae-joo*—my dad went to a bookstore, bought it, and got me a copy to read on the way.”

“I read a poetry collection called *Forgiveness of the Sky* on a holiday. One line I wrote down was, “Would even angels know that their wings are symmetrical?” Isn’t that so cute?”

“A book I want to take out and read whenever I think of my beloved pet who went to Dog Star. I related to Jiyul’s feelings and was deeply moved by Byeol’s love!”

“While browsing Instagram, I saw a book posted by an upperclassman from school and bought it. It was a book called *Lessons in Self-Esteem*.”

““I was greatly inspired while working on the album Legend.””

“After reading this book, I thought I wanted everyone to find their own happiness and live at their own pace. We can run, but we can also walk or crawl. Everyone has a different way of living, so this book made me realize that we should respect and be considerate of one another. It's a science fiction novel, but its warm, sensitive expressions touch your heart, so anyone should be able to read it without difficulty.”

“This is exactly the book I want to find. It’s about the number 88 bus.”

“After reading the book, it resonated with me so deeply that it hurt both my body and my heart.”

“Wow, author Shim Yong-hwan’s new book #365DaysOfKoreanHistoryInOnePage is coming out soon 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻”

“I was impressed by reading *Illionaire Life*, written by my senior, Dok2.”

““When I first read Blindness, I had a primal feeling.””

“There’s a book called Kind People Win that I read recently. I really found it very relatable.”

“It felt new to imagine the personalities and ways of speaking of the characters in the book.”

“SODA’s first Photobook: Candid🍬”

“This is really interesting. You absolutely have to read it. People who create things absolutely have to read this. It’s a book called Sparks of Genius.”

“It’s a book called My Pinky Son. I wrote a recommendation for it because of my longstanding connection with Hong Won-gi, who has the rare disease progeria.”

“Everyone, love one another~”

“Ah, is that it?”

“It’s okay not to read it all at once. Keep it on your bookshelf and take it out whenever you need it or feel curious.”

“What I kept close to me all along was the novel the film is based on. I wrote down separately the sentences in the novel that reveal Gye-na’s personality, and always carried them around with me.”

“While working on this essay, I had the chance to look back on my life from childhood through my twenties and return to my original intentions. It also helped me make plans for the future, not only for the rest of my playing career but also for after retirement.”

“There’s a book by author Kim Eana called *Ordinary Words*.”

“You might think that a story about losing someone precious and getting the chance to see them one last time is a familiar premise, but the stories and heartfelt longing of each character will move you. I especially want to recommend this book to anyone who misses someone, or who wants to make up with someone after a fight but is hesitating. I hope you don’t lose someone precious in a moment of impulsive emotion and regret it later.”

“I’ll definitely finish reading Eragon!!”

“If I were good at English too, I would have read it that way.”

“I didn’t study music theory separately, and there’s a book called Popular Music Theory. It’s a thick book that teaches you things like the basics of arranging and how chord progressions work. That’s how I learned.”

“I recalled my solo trip, which moved between excitement and apprehension, anxiety and comfort.”

“I’ve been active for about 13 years. I’ve worked with SHINee, pursued solo activities as Taemin, and also worked on a new project with SuperM. I thought I’d like to slightly change the familiar world I’ve experienced and built up so far, and show you a new side of myself.”

“Each chapter in this book is organically connected to an album track.”

“Through “Professional Lyric Writing,” I’m also learning a lot about writing lyrics that comfort people’s hearts.”

“I should read books diligently and live diligently!!”

“I changed even more after reading the books The Power of Positive Thinking and The Secret.”

“Eugene’s book is packed with content.”

“Writer! I read *Human Acts* in the military.”

“I think it's a book that even people with no interest in philosophy can approach easily, and that gives them a stepping stone toward developing a philosophy of their own.”

“I’ve been interested in investing lately, but I can’t afford to invest carelessly.”

“I've been really enjoying Alain de Botton's book The Sorrow That Brings Joy lately.”

“I really want to recommend the book I’m reading right now to you all. A Man Called Ove. I bought it and started reading it without giving it much thought, just because people said it was fun. As I read, there were times I laughed, I almost cried, and I learned a lot. You should definitely read it 👍”

“Even today, when the word “sublime” has been reduced to a tedious and stifling word, it is unavoidably sublime.”

“The Little Prince is such a famous work, you know. I first encountered it as an animated film, and later read it as a book. I want to express the feelings I experienced through contemporary dance.”

“I immediately bought and read the translated original novel.”

“If I were to recommend a book I enjoyed reading, first of all, it would be *Ordinary Words* (Kim Eana).”

“I’m honored to receive the Content of the Year award. Grapefruit Apricot Club is a work that sincerely captures the reality the children face and the pure solidarity through which they hold on to one another and try to make it through.”

“I think I read it when I was about six, starting around 11 a.m.”

““A book Choi Ja recommended to me; it was written based on research on aging.””

“So I started reading Guillaume Musso's books. As I read love stories such as Save Me and The Paper Girl, I wanted to read other kinds of stories too.”

“Financial security creates creative freedom.”

“Scary Stories Are the Best!”

“A Thousand Years of Love, Father.”

“The first Korean poetry collection I read when I was first learning Korean was *You Sometimes Think of Me, While I Sometimes Think of Something Else*.”

“I’m Karon’s mom, Kim Jae-kyung, pleased to greet you as an author.”

“Watching that, I resolved to make an album the way I wanted.”

““When I first read *You Said It Was Goodbye*, I found the content a little difficult.””

“I was so immersed in the work that I read it in one sitting despite being busy with activities. I even recommended it directly to the members.”

““I have lived in Korea for four years and have read many Korean literary works in English. Each time, I felt, ‘Ah, this is a translation.’ But I was surprised that the two works released this time were written in such excellent English. I think the level is higher than the English I use. (Laughs.)””

“Among the many books, one is Music Short Story Collection, a book that gathers short stories inspired by music by five novelists.”

“For me, who has been running nonstop since my debut, books give me a little breathing room and help me gain insight.”

“After reading the book, I also gained the courage to take on a field I want to study, using my spare time even when I’m busy with group activities.”

“He gave me a book as a gift.”

“It’s a book called The Joy of Young Werther.”

“I haven’t read it yet, but I think my dad gave me a book he’d already read. It wasn’t new!”

“Not that famous book! I think it’s another essay!”

“Actually, I haven’t read The Sorrows of Young Werther either, so I’m going to start with The Joy of Young Werther!”

“Yeah, yeah, maybe he hoped I’d find the wisdom in the conversations I’d had with my dad in this book, too. I should read it!”

“Anyway, I thought that someday I want to be someone who can pass on this kind of wisdom to someone else in my own way!”

“I find that wisdom in our ATINY, too, so I should become that kind of person myself.”

“On my birthday, TWICE’s Nayeon gave me a book as a gift. I received a book called *I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki*; its title was unusual, and it was a book I had wanted to buy.”

“I bought a book, not a poetry collection. <Quiet Excitement>. It's a book about what happened during the author's three-month trip to Europe. Even the really trivial things are written down, and they're all so cute.”

“Sometimes in life, a single word from someone else can easily bring us down. This book talks about how to protect yourself and love others through “just the right amount of positivity and just the right amount of courage.” I sincerely hope that all of you readers will come away from this book with “just the right amount of positivity and courage.””

“So I really enjoyed reading this book, too!”

“I also liked Hideo Okuda’s The Aerial Trapeze. Each short story features unusual patients who receive counseling and suggested treatments. I wanted to get counseling from Ibura, the doctor in the novel, too.”

“After reading it, I was completely influenced by it.”

“Likewise, I'm really into Stewart Lee Allen's *In the Devil's Garden: A Sinful History of Forbidden Food*, which is now out of print. It's kind of a world history told through food.”

“Nietzsche’s Words”

“I read it too, and the elements were interesting.”

“#RomanceWillKillMe I met lyricist Seo Ji-eum, who has such a girlish air~ Please show lots of love for writer Ji-eum’s book too~”

“I managed to get to Chapter 3.”

“I started reading *Darkness at Noon* the day before yesterday.”

“It’s a book called Do It for Myself.”

“There are times when we can’t open up to anyone about anything, shut ourselves away, and feel empty. When our hearts are lonely like that, I think the most important—and truly necessary—thing is for someone to reach out first. The author describes that hand as “connection.” Just as I hope my music can reach someone like a hand reaching out, I hope this book will be like that hand, too. Hoping that love and peace will spread through the world instead of isolation, I recommend this book.”

“Father, I thank you for letting me know, even if only vaguely, the joy of a life focused on you.”

“I rarely imagine, while reading a novel, “What if I were to play this character?” But I feel like I might want to play Nakahara, the protagonist of this novel. Though it seems difficult.”

“I recently bought this book. It’s called *8 Rules of Love* by Jay Shetty. Um, it’s a cute title, right? It feels a little cheesy. So normally, I don’t think I would have picked it up at a bookstore.”

“I read a book called “Courage To Be Disliked” which something you read in life, it really helped when I was stressed, it also helped me to become more mature.”

“I’d like to give Françoise Sagan’s essay collection Life Is So Slow, and Hope So Wild as a gift.”

“For those who are a little tired and want to go to a church somewhere, I recommend reading *At the Iche Western-Style Restaurant*.”

“The scenes where Tsuchida, a bookstore clerk, delivers monologues about impressions he has formed while watching customers, family members, and others are striking.”

“I hope you’ll love it. You won’t regret it.”

“He has written many books, such as *Save Me*, *Will You Be There?*, and *Returning in Search of Love*.”

“It broadened my perspective and comforted me.”

“That's right, people would tear it out and take it.”

“I wondered how a lie could be elegant, and I was interested because it was by the author of Wandeuk.”

“I didn't start writing because of any particular occasion. I gathered the things I had jotted down—fleeting thoughts, like entries in a diary—and they came to be a book.”

“For me, I would definitely say five stars.”

“I can now carry the collection of poems by Han Kang, which I received as a gift, in my bag.”

“A considerate gene.”

“I bought those three books by myself.”

“I hope this book can offer even a little strength to people who are at a crossroads or feeling exhausted.”

“There’s a book I finished in two days. It’s called The Greenhouse at the End of the Earth. It’s really good.”

“I thought about what would be interesting and worth watching all the way through. It’s about a girl who’s a born idol but is actually hiding a huge secret, and makes it into the underground scene…”

“I like the scene where the protagonist is standing in first place among the other aliens.”

“I’m Going to Be Lovely Next Year Too”

“I enjoyed reading it.”

“That book is also really good.”